The Hour

Thanks to the humble tennis ball, knotted muscles and a sore back could be a thing of the past. Leading Scottish masseuse Trevor Chisman joined The Hour to demonstrate how best to overcome the stresses of everyday life with a cheap piece of sporting equipment.

With more and more of us spending our days hunched over computer screens the tension we all take home with us has never been greater. Yet finding the time and cash to pay for a professional massage can be difficult.

Trevor said: “The tension is locked up muscle. Essentially the compression of massage just helps to open those fibres up, separate them and just lengthen them again.”

The DIY massage method is a great alternative. If your shoulders are tight, stand with your back to a wall and your tennis ball between your shoulder blades. Then just do what feels right.

You shouldn’t have to press too hard because you want to be able to relax at the same time. Applying too much pressure could even irritate your muscles further. By keeping just enough pressure on the source of the tension you will be able to feel it dissipate.

For the glutes the process is the same. Trevor said: “The glute is one of the biggest muscles in the body, so you’re really just loosing it off and getting it feeling a little bit better, a bit more relaxed.”

When you are releasing knots in your muscles it’s best not to work on too many at once. Heat can also help relax the muscles, so a shower or bath first is a great idea.

It’s also best not to exercise for 24 hours after treating serious knots, though stretching them a little after treatment can be great.

STRESSED OUT?

• Ask the Dr
• Check out STV's New Year New You campaign
• Trevor's website